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Monthly Archives: April 2010

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In the weeks before he died, bedridden from fighting a losing battle with cancer, former LAPD Chief Daryl F. Gates was visited by an LAPD helicopter hovering outside his hospital window. C.J. Lin in the Daily News.

Even though Gates was weak, he got up, put on his SWAT hat and stood at attention. He continued to salute the crew even as the chopper flew away, tears streaming down his cheeks.

It was a moment that spoke to just how dedicated Gates was to the department that he headed for 14 years and its officers, said retired LAPD Deputy Chief Mike Hillmann, speaking at Gates’ funeral on Tuesday.

Even as some members complained they had been “scammed” by the DWP, the City Council failed Tuesday to rescind an electric rate hike it had approved earlier this month.Daily News.
The council’s 9-5 vote fell one short of the threshold needed to redo its previous action, which increased energy rates by about 4.5 percent starting July 1.

Some council members complained that they had been misled and believed their earlier vote was for a temporary rate hike – an increase Department of Water and Power officials later insisted was permanent.

Questioning the revenue projections in Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s proposed $6.7 billion budget, a city panel on Tuesday rejected the spending plan and asked for more details. Daily News.

The Budget and Finance Committee refused to open budget hearings until it has more solid revenue numbers to work with. The committee raised special concern about the revenue the mayor’s office expects from parking meters next year and the level of reserves it expects to reach.

“There are proposals for $53 million (in revenue from parking meters to cover) operational costs and more than $70 million for the reserve fund that we don’t know will be there,” said Councilman Bernard Parks, chairman of the committee. “I do not want another year where we budget week to week, hour to hour.”

Hundreds of mourners filed past the flag-draped coffin of retired LAPD Chief Daryl F. Gates on Monday during a public visitation for the “cop’s cop” who came to symbolize both the best and worst of law enforcement. C.J. Lin in the Daily News.

Many of the guests made the sign of the cross as they paused at Gates’ polished wooden casket, which was flanked by uniformed police officers standing at attention at the new Los Angeles Police Department headquarters. Mourners also paused to take photos of Gates’ hat, badge and white gloves, which were displayed atop a white columned pedestal nearby.

The uniformed officers, from the elite Metropolitan Division – which includes the Special Weapons and Tactics team that Gates established – were relieved every 15 minutes in a formal changing of the guard – a gesture to honor one of Los Angeles’ longest-serving police chiefs.

Los Angeles Unified officials should have the power to reward some teachers with incentive pay and fire others for underperformance, according to a long-awaited report being presented to the school board today. Connie Llanos in the Daily News.

Many of the recommendations in the report require changes to state law or major negotiations with employee unions that could take months or years.

But the 24-page document contains some suggestions that can be implemented by the board immediately, paving the way for perhaps the biggest ever overhaul of the district’s teacher evaluation process.

“There are a lot of things we’ve needed to do better for a very long time to be able to guarantee every student in this district an amazing and effective teacher,” said LAUSD school board member Yolie Flores.